Is Jacky Cheung superhuman?
His three Malaysian shows at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil this weekend are the 132nd, 133rd and 134th shows of his worldwide Jacky Cheung: A Classic Tour, which started last year. But the 56-year-old Cheung did not show any signs of fatigue throughout the show on Friday (Jan 26).
Well, he may not be a superhuman, but he certainly is a super star. Tickets to Cheung’s concerts were the hottest item in KL over the weekend, with tickets going for up to RM11,400 on the secondary market, and he delivered a massive spectacular extravaganza to match the hype.
During the show, Cheung said that the reason he called this “A Classic Tour” is because he wanted to perform the songs in the most classic way possible, harking back to a show he once did in 1987 which had a similar four-sided stage.
Despite having more than 33 years worth of hits under his belt, Cheung still managed to get through most of them during the three-hour-long show, and even included a few new ones as well. When he wasn’t singing, his crowd interaction also had the fans eating out of his hand.
“I don’t get to speak in Cantonese much in shows outside of Hong Kong, So, whenever I come to Malaysia, it feels like I am home!” he said at one point.
The show saw him performing on a spectacular four-sided stage that changed constantly throughout the show, making it a dazzling visual feast for the eyes.
Conceptualised by Cheung, the stage itself was a thing of wonder. Almost the entire stage was made up of movable parts, constantly rising and falling to the whims of each song, changing skins seamlessly from molten lava to flowing waterfalls and crumbling high rise buildings to golden mechanical clocks.
This was a show where every song was a spectacle, where every movement, note, and beam of light were choreographed down to the most minute detail.
Every single song was given its own unique stage and scene. On the rocking Legend Of The Wolf, giant billowing wolves stalked the stage. During Blessing, the stage transformed into a cake-like pedestal complete with dancing kings and queens and giant portraits of drumming soldiers. Magical, twinkling lights swirled around Cheung as he sang Spring Wind Summer Rain.
And best of all, during a massive medley of most of his greatest hits (including Kiss Goodbye, Every Day I Love You More and Amour, among others), the stage rose, fell, and morphed as Cheung moved around it.
At times, it was as if the stage had a will of its own, one that was being manipulated by the God of Song himself.
This was also an immersive concert unlike any other. The entire stadium was treated as part of a stage, and even the audience was not spared. Each fan was given a glowstick that was also synchronised to the music and production, changing colours constantly to match the song, flickering and swaying like a sea of magical stars.
Of course, the most advanced and polished stage production in the world would be meaningless without a star to orbit around. And Cheung was the brightest star in the entire hall.
For all the glitz and glamour surrounding him, Cheung’s voice was still the greatest highlight of the show. Transitioning effortlessly from fast dance songs and forceful rock songs to powerful ballads, his vocal performance was impeccable throughout the show. Even when it was just him and Malaysian guitarist Jamie Wilson on stage, his voice alone was good enough to keep the entire stadium enthralled.
I guess there is a reason he is called the God of Song. It’s hard to think of any other Chinese pop star who can sing like Cheung does, perform like he does, and maintain that level of quality for three hours straight, and do that for three days in a row.
What a show this was. What a spectacle. And what a superstar Jacky Cheung is.
